stapp



(NoModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. B. STAPPS MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING FENCE.

No. 335,253. Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

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N. PETERS, Plwlmljlhographar. Wuhmglam n c.

(No Model.) 3 Sh,eets- -Sheet 2.

R, B. STAPP.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING FENCE.

No. 335,253. Patented Feb. 2, 1886.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. R. B. STAPP.

MAUHINE FOR MANUFACTURING FENCE.

No. 335,253. Patented Feb. 2'. 1886.

WITNESSES NY PETERS. Pholo-Lithognpiwr. Walhinginn, D c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT B. STAPP, OF DENVER,:COLORADO.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,253, datedFebruary}, 1886.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT B. Srxrr. of Denver, in the county ofArapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Machines for Manufacturing Fences; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

My invention relates to fence-making machines of that class in whichwooden pickets are secured by strands of wire, the strands being twistedtogether upon each side of the pickets, thus holding them in place.

My invention consists in the devices and combination of deviceshereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 represents a plan of my invention. Fig. 2 represents a frontelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation, with a portion insection, of mechanism for feeding the pickets. Fig. 4 is a detail viewof the mechanism for winding the fencing. Fig. 5 represents asectionalend view of the adjustable twister-frame. Fig. 6 is a detail view of thedrum on which the fence is wound.

In these drawings the frame of the machine is represented at A. It isarranged substantially as shown,in order to support the variousmechanisms which go to make up the organization of the machine. Themechanism is driven from a main shaft, E, which has its bearings in theside beams of the fra me proper, extending all the way across. Aband-wheel is attached to the end of this shaft, to which power can beapplied from any suitable source. A shaft, 1, runs parallel to thisfirst shaft, and is driven from a pinion, E, meshing in a gearwheel,D,on the shaft 1. From a pin set eccentrically in the face of thegear-wheel D a pitman, F, extends, being loosely connected at the otherend with the rear extension of a segmental gear, G, through which thetwisters are operated. The twisting mechanism is supported on horizontalpieces A A" of the frame, arranged parallel to each other a properdistance apart. The twisters themselves consist of cylinders havingperforations at top and bottom of the cylinder, or, in other words,opposite each other near the periphery, these openings being for thepassage of the Wires, which are brought from suitable spools arranged ona rack in a well-known manner. These cylinders have hearings in slidingboxes M. (Shown clearly in Fig. 5.) These boxes have bearings for theends of the cylinder with an open space in the center. The edges of thepieces A A have grooves in them, into which are fitted projections onthe boxes M, and by means of this construction the boxes and twistersmay be adjusted upon their supportingframes, or removed entirely, whendesired. \Vhen in proper position, the boxes are held by set-screws, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2. A pinion, K, is fixed to each twister at itscentral portion, so as to rotate in the space in the boxes M. Arack-bar, L, has bearings upon rollers in the frame, said rollersextending be tween the parallel bars, the rack L being so locatedthereon as to be directly beneath the pinions on the twisters and tomesh therewith.

The object of the rack is obvious. Motion is transmitted from thesegmental rack to a pinion, 1, on the end ofthe first twister, J, andthis twister, through its central pinion, moves the rack L and the rackmoves the rest of the twisters. Any number of twisters may be used,according to the number of strands required in the fence. The twister Jextends beyond the line of the other twisters, and is provided with thegear I on the end, this gear meshing with the segment-gear G. This gearis loose on the shaft 34. It has a sufficient number of teeth upon itsperiphery to revolve the pinion Land consequently the other pi nions andtwisters, through the rack L,twice. After such revolution of thetwisters it is necessary to hold them from turning while another picketis fed into position, and for this purpose I provide the followingmeans: Plates H H, connected by a narrow strip, are secured to the gearG,concentric with the center and projecting beyond the outer edgethereof, above and below, the connecting-stri p being within the line ofthe teeth, so as not to interfere with the action thereof. From thepoint where the plates H project the teeth terminate, so that as thesegment is moved to rotate the pinions further movement of the segmentafter the teeth have left the pinion brings the edge of the plate H incontact with the projection I on the pinion I, the side of thisprojection being cut away on a curve corresponding to the curve of theplate H, and, consequentlygvhen this plate bears against the cut-awayportion, the twister is held stationary and prevented from moving.

Tables or supporting-brackets for the'pickets, marked 16, and secured tothe beam A have rounded faces to prevent friction or interference in anyway with the ready removal of the pickets.

The pickets are fed to the twisters by the following mechanism: Curvedbrackets 20 are supported adj ustably upon a rod, 21, and these bracketsserve to hold the slats and to feed them downcontinuously to the belt24, which carries them to the twisters. The slats are fed down by theWeight of those behind. Upon one side of the frame proper'a pulley, 26,is supported in suitable brackets, and at the other side a pulley, O, issupported upon a shaft, 35, being loose thereon. A band, 24, passes overthese pulleys, being driven intermittingly thereby, as hereinafterdescribed. Pins 31 are set in this band at suitable distances apart,always a greater distance than the length of apicket. The band iscovered for the most part in its path across the frame of the machine, acentral opening being ieft for the passage of the pins 31. This coveringconsists of guides 23 22. The guide 23, being upon the left of the bandand being level with thelower part of the curved brackets, makes acontinuation of the same, whereby the pickets are fed to the carryingdevices. The guide 22 completes this table on the right of the band, andterminates in a shoulder, 32, which serves as a stop to limit themovement of the picket. As a picket is fed into position upon the movingband, as soon as one of the pins 31 moves around the pulley 26 it comesinto contact with the end of the picket and moves it along, depositingit upon the tables or brackets 16, between the wires, and in theoperation of the machine it is woven in the fence in the ordinarymanner.

I have provided the following means 'for operating the movingcarrier-band: On the shaft 1, toward the rear, is a cam, Y, which, inthe revolution of the shaft, operates upon the end of an arm, X, whichis pivoted upon a projecting spindle from the shaft Z. A pin projectsfrom the face of this arm X, and a pitman, XV, extends from this pin tothe lower end of a segment-gear, T, pivoted upon a shaft, 38, as shownin Figs. 2 and 3. The movement of the shaft 1 causes the cam Y torevolve and act upon the end of the arm X, which draws upon thepitman-rod to move the segmentgear upon its shaft. The pitman and thearm X are returned to their normal positions by the spring 40, whichbears in a recess in the said pitman-rod. The segment meshes with apinion, U, loose on the shaft 35, arranged above the shaft 38. Upon thisshaft the band-wheel O is supported loosely. Between the wheel or pulleyO and the pinion U is a disk, V, keyed to the shaft and having a pawl,s, secured to its face. From the central portion of the pinion U a hubprojects, having ratchet-teeth upon its periphery, and the pawl of thedisk V engages therewith. Upon the opposite side of the pulley O is adisk, Q, also keyed to the shaft, and pressed against the pulley O by apressure-spring, R, which encircles the shaft, as shown. In this way thepulley is held between the disks V and Q, and is revolved by thefrictional contact therewith. The pinion U is revolved by the segment T,which transmits its motion to the shaft 35 through the ratchet and pawland the disk V.

After the picket has been deposited upon the table and the continuedoperation of the machine has twisted the wires upon the front, it isdischarged from the table by the following means: On the rear portion ofthe shaft 1 is a bevel-gear, 2, which meshes with a simi lar bevel-gear,3, on a shaft supported in bearings at right angles to the shaft 1. Acam, 12, on this shaft operates upon an arm, 13, of a shaft, 14, todepress the said arm, which action revolves the shaft 14. a certaindistance. A. spring, 39, presses upon the under side of the arm 13, andreturns it to its normal position after the cam 12-has left it. Theshaft 14 runs along beneath the tables, and has arms 15 15 extending updirectly in front=of the place Where the pickets are discharged upon thetable and between the pickets and the twisters. The parts are so timedthat after a picket has been woven into the fence the cam 12 strikes thearm 13, rocks the shaft 14 about a quarter-turn, which causes the arms15 15, one at each end, to be impelled suddenly toward the pickedstriking the same and discharging it from the table. As soon as this isdone the spring 39 acts to return the arm 13 and shaft 14, and the arms15 assume a vertical position until another picket is to be discharged.

As the fence is made it is carried over an idle roller, 11, supported inthe frame in rear of the twisters to a revolving roller mounted upon thelathe-points 9 10. The point 10 has screw-threaded bearings, so that theroller may be removed at will. After a certain amount of fencing hasbeen made the roller is removed from its bearings, and, in order torender it possible to withdraw the roller from the center of thecompleted fencing without unrolling the same, I have constructed it intwo parts, 41 and 42, of wedge shape, the heads 43 and 44 holding theends of the parts together. By this construction the sections of theroller may be readily removed and a plain roller substituted, so as tokeep the roll of fencing in its proper shape.

The revolution of the roll must be proportioned so as to move moreslowly as the fencing upon the roll increases in size, as there must beno undue strain upon the wire, but the fencing must be taken up just asit is made.

ICC

Screw-threaded cones B B are secured in reversed position upon shaftsmarked,respectively, I) b, the cone B having a gear-wheel secured to itsshaft, through which it is operated. On the end of shaft B heretoforedescribed in connection with the cam 12, is a face-plate, 5, having apin in its surface, to which is connected a pawl, 6, which engages withthe teeth of and operates the gear 7 on the shaft of the cone B. Thecone B is keyed to the shaft 7), which is formed at its other end withthe lathe-center 9, heretofore described, for holding the roll. Thecones are connected by a belt or band, 30,which is attached to thelargest part of the cone B, then wound about the screw-threaded orcontinuous channel, and then carried to the cone B and secured to thelargest part thereof. The motion imparted is in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 4,which will wind the belt from the cone B to B, andduring the unwinding the cone will constantly decrease in speed. Afterthe belt has been wound upon the cone B it may be rewound upon the coneB by applying a wrench upon the squared end of the shaft 1). The pawl 6must be thrown back out of en gagement during this rewinding. A check,g, may be applied to the end of shaft 1), if desired.

The machine moves with great rapidity, and is perfectly automatic,requiring only the placing of the pickets on the brackets.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an automaticfence-making machine, twisting mechanism consisting of twisters havinggears on their central portion operated by a rack, L, extending beneaththe same, a pinion, I, upon the end of the first twister operatedthrough mechanism intermediate between said pinion and thedriving-shaft, whereby motion is communicated through said pinion I tothe twister J, and from thence through the rack L to the other twister,all substantially as described.

2. In an automatic fence-making machine, the combination, with twistingmechanism, receiving-brackets 16, having rounded faces, and feedingmechanism, substantially as described, of discharging mechanismconsisting ofa shaft, 14, having a spring-arm, 13, operated by a cam,12, to rotate the said shaft 14, arms 15 on said shaft at each endthereof arranged, in the movement of the shaft 14, to discharge thepicket from the table, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic fence-making machine, the combination, with twistingmechanism, feeding mechanism, and discharging mechanism,of a roller fortaking up the finished fence, and mechanism connected with said roller,consisting of screw-threaded cones placed in reverse position andconnected by a band for causing the roller to move more slowly as theroll of fencing increases in size, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic fence-making machine, the combination, with thetwister J and the mechanism for driving the same, of the pinion I,having the projection 1 arranged to be operated upon by the plates H H,secured to the segment G, whereby the twisters are held from movingcontinuously, substantially as described.

5. In an automatic fence-making machine, the combination of the twisterssupported in adjustable boxes M, pinions upon the center of eachtwister, means for operating the first twister, a rack, L,beneath thetwister-pinions, arranged to receive motion from the first twister andcommunicate motion to the rest of the series, and supporting-rollers forsaid rack, substantially as described.

6. In an automatic fence-making machine, the combination of theadjustable holding-arms for the pickets, the traveling belt operated bymechanism substantially as described, the said belt having pinsprojecting from its face at intervals,adapted to strike against the endof the pickets as they are fed to the moving belt, and thus carriedalong by the said belt and deposited in proximity to the twisters.

'7. In a fence-making machine, the combination, with a roller for takingup the finished fence, of means for proportioning the speed of saidroller, said means consisting of screwthreaded cones placed reverselyand connected by a band, one of said cones being fixed upon the shaft towhich the roller is secured, and mechanism for operating said cones,consisting of a pawl and gear-wheel, said pawl be ing operated from ashaft, B, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

BOBERT B. STAPP.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES R. STAPP, JOHN W. BHoDEs.

